Tuesday, November 8, 2011

In a heartbeat

Our book club discussed "In a heartbeat," the story of the Tuohy family and their adoption of Michael Oher, a black teen-ager. The very successful movie, "The blind side," told the story of how they came to meet Michael and fold him into their loving family, assisting him to become a high school and college graduate and a successful NFL player.


It is an inspiring story--although I disagree with some of the basic points--like "how little it takes to help fill the desperate wants" of the poor and unfortunate, or the subtext that Michael would not have succeeded in life without them and the boost they provided. Michael would have succeeded no matter what.

I bought this book at the Volunteers of America store for $1.91, and today I passed it on to Tina at Panera's and told her when she was finished with it, to pass it on. Michael Oher has now also written his account of his life as the child of a drug addicted mother who went on to fame and fortune in the NFL. The Tuohy book will make more sense if you see the movie "The blind side" first--or if you've read that book.